FAIR USAGE POLICY (FUP) SITUATION :
“Complainant experienced a slow or problematic internet connection. The download speed is only about 100kbps. The complainant had also switched the sim card into another device, but the problem still persists.”
How Exactly Does An Unlimited Mobile Data Plan Work?
While unlimited mobile data plans do technically provide you with unlimited data, it’s important to understand that there are certain data usage guidelines to note under the pretext of ‘Fair Usage Policy’. In all fairness, it’s also to ensure that everyone is able to enjoy the benefit of data at high speeds. Here’s what we’re talking about:
What is FUP?
Fair Usage Policy (FUP) or Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) is a set of rules applied by the owner of a network that restricts the ways in which the network may be used and sets guidelines as to how it should be used. In other words, the network service will be distributed fairly to all subscribers. FUP/AUP applied to a service allowing nominally unlimited use for a fixed fee simply sets a cap on what may be used, intended to allow normal usage but prevent what is considered excessive. For example, users of an “unlimited” broadband Internet service may be subject to suspension, termination, or bandwidth limiting for usage which is “continually excessive, unfair, affects other users’ enjoyment of the broadband service, or is not consistent with the usage typically expected on a particular access package”
What Is Bandwidth Throttling?
Ever noticed a sudden slowdown of your online speeds whenever you were playing a game with your friends, downloading a rather large file, or binge-watching your favourite shows? This is called bandwidth throttling.
Bandwidth throttling (also known as data throttling or an Internet bottleneck) is the process through which an ISP intentionally limits user bandwidth, slowing down connection and download speeds. This can happen on any device you use.
Things to consider…
With unlimited data plans, once you reach your monthly full-speed data cap then your internet connection slows down. You likely won’t notice for small activities like browsing web pages, but bigger things like downloading HD videos will take a very long time. In conclusion, once you hit that ‘data cap’, all mobile uploads and downloads are ‘throttled’. And you do get unlimited data, but not at full speed.
Suggested Tips for Consumer To Reduce Data Throttling:
i) To not ‘excessively’ use the data by streaming/ downloading videos over the internet
(e.g. Peer-to-Peer traffic (Bit Torrent or other similar file sharing applications)
ii) Prevent from using the blocked/ prohibited websites through Virtual Private Network
iii) Control/ Monitor your data usage through phone settings
iv) Not to use the sim card in a broadband device to use the data. This is to avoid abusive data usage
*Remember, Know the limit. NOT everything is UNLIMITED.
